When I started getting into trail & ultra running a little over a year ago a certain runner caught my eye. She was dominating the sky running circuit, always had a smile on her face, regularly posted fantastic recipes to her site (link here), and while often seen by a certain elite male's side was making quite the name for herself. She's won pikes peak, the Dolomites Skyrace, Matterhorn Ultraks, Zegama Marathon, Tranvulcania 80k, Ice Trail 65k, UROC 100km and many more. Shes won the European Championship in SkyRunning & Ultra SkyRunning, as well as the winner of the World Cup in the Ultra SkyRace series. If you don't know who I am talking about, you should. Her name is Emelie Forsberg.

I recently had the opportunity to ask her some questions on behalf of Trail WhippAss. Read the interview below.

Papa: If you could go back in time and talk to yourself at age 10 for 30 seconds, what would you tell 10 year old Emelie?

Emelie: I would tell her to be just the way she is!

Papa: What if you could go ahead in time and talk to yourself as an old woman, what is the one thing you would want to tell yourself in the future?

Emelie: I would talk about how the environment is when i'm old, and I guess I would be even more eager to work for a healthier planet.

Papa: One of our members, Ferdinand G, asked "You often learn more from your worst performances rather than your best. What was your worst race or biggest bonk? Why did it happen? What did you learn from it (about running & yourself)?

Emelie: Oh Yes! This is so true! My hardest races are the ones that I don't find stimulating, that often means flat ground, very easy trail and no mountains. Even though it can be wonderful scenery around. In those races I always suffer, because i'm not enough motivated or good to just run. I guess I'm a little spoiled with so many beautiful mountains around me, like at home in Scandinavia, Lygen or around the alps. So [in the future] I would like to work on my speed and to focus only on the running, not only to explore mountains!

Papa: Another one of our members, Ryan, asked our previous interviewee (Michele Yates) if she giggles inside when you pass all the boys. Do you?

Emelie: hehe, no!

Papa: Maggie wants to know, "Our past experiences, how we dealt with them and the choices we made shape who we are. Are there any past life experiences that come to mind that brought you to where you are today?

Emelie: I think I have always been working for something, never had very supportive parents, or as my mother was alone she just couldn't have time for everything, I think I learned a lot from my childhood. Both to be independent, and also my passion for nature came from when I was a child I think. Playing outside everyday and taking care of what we got from nature, like vegetables, meat, berries and so on. My grandparents on my fathers side were farmers and on my mothers side we have Laplanders in the family. Both of these inspire me to live my life more close to the nature than a city ever could offer.

Papa: Is there a defining moment, an AH-HAmoment in your life, where you knew adventuring was what you were meant to be doing or has it always just been a part of you?

Emelie: I think it has always been a part of me, it just changes where I am!

Papa: Last question. What do you think this is?

Emelie: A little blue fantasy lion creature!

It should be noted that just after conducting this interview Emelie is headed to Aconcagua (22,837 ft) in Argentina where she will be supporting Killian Jornet's FKT attempt